Philips identified inconsistent absence reporting across the company. Employees reported absences differently to managers who tracked them in various places. Philips outsourced their occupational health and contracted with FirstCare to provide an absence management solution. FirstCare's integrated service provides Philips with clear absence data and triggers alerts to managers about issues. This allows Philips to proactively address high absence areas. As a result of FirstCare's system, Philips' absence levels are now consistently tracked and have been reduced by 15%.

1. Case study: PHILIPS
FROM AD HOC TO PROACTIVE AND CONSISTENT: HOW WE HELPED PHILIPS TAKE
CONTROL OF ITS ABSENCE REPORTING
Philips is a diversified health and wellbeing company focused on improving
people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of healthcare,
consumer lifestyle and lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips
employs more than 105,000 employees in more than 100 countries.
The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare,
energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as
male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare.
Around 18 months ago, Philips identified a company-wide problem with
its absence reporting.
“Employees were calling their managers who were using different methods
to record the details in different places. Across the board, absence reporting
was inconsistent and inaccurate,” explains Jonathan Coles, HR Director
for Philips.
Philips decided to put their occupational health out to tender and, with the
savings generated from outsourcing this resource, they intended to also
appoint an absence provider. FirstCare successfully applied for the tender,
providing Philips with a total absence management solution.
Philips now has access to quality absence data that provides it with
absolute clarity on its absence levels.
Staff who are now absent from work call Philips’ dedicated HR line, which
puts them directly in touch with our call handlers.
Our service is also integrated with Philips’ occupational health team, which
involves bespoke absence email alerts being sent to managers to flag key
issues, including:
“We no longer have
an ad-hoc approach
to our absence
reporting. Instead,
we have absolute
clarity on our
absence levels.”
Jonathan Coles
HR Director
KEY DETAILS:
Employees Covered: 2000
Service Type: FirstCare Essentials
Absence Reduction: 15%
Service launch: 01/08/2013
www.firstcare.eu

2. Case study: PHILIPS
• Three short-term absences in six months
• Third absence due to mental health within three months
• Two musculoskeletal or back pain-related absences in three months
“We no longer have an ad-hoc approach to our absence reporting. Instead,
we have absolute clarity on our absence levels.” said Jonathan.
“For instance, when we are alerted to high levels of absence, such as
musculoskeletal problems in the factory, we can proactively address them
because we now have clear trigger levels in place.”
Live Well is Philips’ dedicated health and wellbeing plan aimed at tackling
focus areas, such as musculoskeletal disorders and back pain, stress
management and seasonal coughs, colds and sickness. This has involved
a number of different reactive activities being carried out. For example,
Philips’ managers received bespoke stress management training and all
staff were issued with winter fit kits. As a result of issuing the winter fit kits,
Philips recorded a 15% reduction in days lost due to coughs, colds, flu and
diarrhoea and vomiting between November and January 2014.
Proactive Live Well initiatives range from providing weekly on-site fitness
classes, discounted gym memberships and rowing and cycling fitness
challenges, to massage sessions and on-site Weight Watchers classes.
We are working closely with Philips to deliver future developments.
Philips intends to build on the success achieved to date by working with us
to further tailor its alerts and messages. Plans are also in place for Philips to
trial our nurse-led services for key sites where they are experiencing slightly
higher absences to see if they can help reduce absence levels and provide
further assistance to staff.
Jonathan added: “Our absence levels are now tracked and Return To Work
interviews and absence reviews are now consistently carried out across our
organisation.
“FirstCare’s absence management system is great. It can be tailored, it’s
very responsive, provides excellent account management and enables us to
conduct proactive quarterly reviews with ideas and recommendations that
can help reduce our absence.”
Philips has also
used our absence
data to take a
proactive approach
to addressing
health and
wellbeing.
“We would
recommend
FirstCare to
others.”
Jonathan Coles
HR Director
www.firstcare.eu
Want to know more about effectively managing sickness absence or how we can
help you reduce absence rates, increase productivity and reduce costs?
Call us on 03454 565 730 or email info@firstcare.eu